rv8bldr
Well Known Member
Hi folks,
I recently bought the AOA Sport from Van's and installed it in my -8. The CPU box had a sticker on it saying that it was calibrated for the -4, -6, -7, and -8 (maybe the -10 too, but I forget). It also stated that I should test it out before relying on those calibrations.
The first time I flew with it, it seemed OK until I was in the pattern. Now, this is where embarassing the questions start. I have 85 hours on my -8. For the first 20 hours I fought the thing to get it on the ground without looking like an idiot. I realized that I was coming in too fast. My stall speed is about 63kts indicated clean, about 60 dirty, and I had been flying my appraches at 75-80 and floating forever. When I lowered that speed to 70-75, low and behold my landings turned out great.
When I flew my approach with the AOA Sport, I had one (sometimes two) red light showing, in other words, not good. I'm supposed to have just two yellows. To get it there, I had to fly the approach at 80kts.
So I decided to recalibrate the unit (man, hitting 0g with the flaps down is HARD ;-) Guess what; same indications.
So here are the embarassing questions:
1.) What are you -8 (and -7) drivers using for approach speeds ?
2.) What kind of stall speeds are you seeing? (I generally fly at 1600 lbs.)
3.) The AOA documentation says to use 1.4 x stall for approach, so if that is what you are using, what technique do you use to get yourself slowed down at the right spot so you don't wind up rifling off the end of a short strip?
I realize that these probably seem like pretty basic questions, but I'm confused that the approach and landing technique that I have been using for the last year may be faulty. Rather than drill a hole in the ground, I figure I'll ask the question.
Thanks in advance,
I recently bought the AOA Sport from Van's and installed it in my -8. The CPU box had a sticker on it saying that it was calibrated for the -4, -6, -7, and -8 (maybe the -10 too, but I forget). It also stated that I should test it out before relying on those calibrations.
The first time I flew with it, it seemed OK until I was in the pattern. Now, this is where embarassing the questions start. I have 85 hours on my -8. For the first 20 hours I fought the thing to get it on the ground without looking like an idiot. I realized that I was coming in too fast. My stall speed is about 63kts indicated clean, about 60 dirty, and I had been flying my appraches at 75-80 and floating forever. When I lowered that speed to 70-75, low and behold my landings turned out great.
When I flew my approach with the AOA Sport, I had one (sometimes two) red light showing, in other words, not good. I'm supposed to have just two yellows. To get it there, I had to fly the approach at 80kts.
So I decided to recalibrate the unit (man, hitting 0g with the flaps down is HARD ;-) Guess what; same indications.
So here are the embarassing questions:
1.) What are you -8 (and -7) drivers using for approach speeds ?
2.) What kind of stall speeds are you seeing? (I generally fly at 1600 lbs.)
3.) The AOA documentation says to use 1.4 x stall for approach, so if that is what you are using, what technique do you use to get yourself slowed down at the right spot so you don't wind up rifling off the end of a short strip?
I realize that these probably seem like pretty basic questions, but I'm confused that the approach and landing technique that I have been using for the last year may be faulty. Rather than drill a hole in the ground, I figure I'll ask the question.
Thanks in advance,
